Like the above poster mentioned. Worth is subjective. There are a whole list of perks and associated threads on this topic but I'll list here the things that make concierge worth it for us and in particular the 1 bedroom or up.
- The extra room - this is one of the major factors for us. Having a suite makes it nice for you to spend time in your room. A lot of people say that the room is just a place to sleep. While we do activities on the ship with small kids it is nice to have a place to retreat to for nap times or upset times.
- In room dining - being able to have a hot breakfast delivered every morning is a nice luxury. The suites also have the ability to have main dining room food brought to your room.
- Concierge team - we like the ability to go to just one person for all of your needs. Want to adjust your bill, book more excursions, spa appointments, nursery time, general questions, cancellations? They handle it. No waiting in line at guest services.
- Want a Cabana for Castaway Cay - well being in concierge opens your booking window to 120 days and greatly improves your chances of getting a cabana
- Sundeck and Lounge - on the new ships we didn't think these would make as much of a difference as we do now - We actually spent a good amount of time in the lounge. Sometimes pop in just for a snack and sometimes just to meet up with people. Our daughter also liked playing board games in there or just talking with the staff in the lounge. Also free smoothies were offered to us most of the time we went. The Sundeck is a nice non-busy space to relax as well, private.
If in room dining and the extra space are not an issue but you still want concierge then get the family room, it is like a category 4 but with some upgraded amenities and the concierge experience. It is a nice option and cheaper as well.
Another thing we noticed was that we were always seated in the dining room at a private table. This may be an upside for some people but for us we have met some good friends through random tablemates. Oh we have met a few bad ones too, but it makes for good stories. We never really thought about it but once we asked the dining room manager if we were being seated alone since we had booked concierge and they told us that we were. I don't know if they assumed this would be our preference, but certainly whichever way you choose just note it on your reservation.
Also if you do get a 1 bedroom suite - adjust your tip for your room host/hostess accordingly as the room is pretty big in comparison to a regular room.
We find that concierge is worth the cost. If you have to cut back on a whole lot of things just to cruise concierge such as excursions, tips, souvenirs, shopping, luxuries at home, etc, then maybe it is not a good choice. Even though there are times for free drinks and special snacks as well as a special meet and greet, it would be difficult to make up the actual monetary value of the upgrade to concierge. Look at the worth as a more subjective value. We tend to spend a lot of time on the ship, most excursions either we can't do because of family logistics or lack of interest. If we have been to a port before sometimes we don't even get off the ship. We cruise with the objectives of relaxing and enjoying the ship.
Lastly, if you really want concierge, just book it. You can read on the boards about waiting to get to port to upgrade - while this can be a viable option it nullifies some of the advantages of concierge. It is more affordable this way. We actually had an concierge room on hold for the hawaii cruise and then decided we would just wait till the next week and rebook onboard. This was a mistake because then the room was gone. So now we just book concierge from the getgo.
Either way enjoy your cruise and keep in mind once you cruise concierge it is difficult to go back.
we are going also during the cheapest time of year and the shortest cruise (3) days. If we were to go now or next month for around the same price we would have a porthole room. So time of really counts price wise.
